Free In Close by Brenda Novak Page A

thinking about now that she was older and could look at the situation from a perspective less affected by her own unfulfilled desires. But even if she was right, understanding the reason for his sharp angles didn’t make them any less capable of cutting anyone who ventured too close, and she wasn’t about to forget that. “Could you lay off? What he does isn’t any of our business.”
    “Whatever you say, as long as you realize that it doesn’t matter whether or not he helped you out last night. Isaac Morgan hasn’t changed as much as you want to believe. He’s done everything he can to earn his reputation.”
    And Leanne was earning hers, which made it ironic that she was the one pointing a finger. But Claire wasn’t going to make an issue of it. Her sister had reasons for her behavior, too. “I’ve got to shower. My first appointment will be here in forty minutes.”
    “Wait a second. I came over because…I want to explain something before you…jump to the wrong conclusion.”
    Her halting words alerted Claire that Isaac was no longer the subject of their conversation. “I’m listening.”
    “What you asked me yesterday about…about being out of school on the day Mom went missing.”
    Claire stiffened. Thanks to what Tug had told her, she didn’t want to discuss this. She was surprised Leanne had even brought it up. “Yes?”
    “I know you’ve been told.”
    Their stepfather must’ve felt too guilty to keep his indiscretion to himself. Claire kneaded her forehead so she wouldn’t have to look at her sister. “Is it true?”
    “I had a crush on Joe, thought I was in love with him.”
    “That’s a yes.”
    Silence.
    Claire had to look at Leanne now. “He was married. And two and a half times your age. What were you thinking?”
    “I wasn’t thinking. I was thirteen, okay?”
    “But…how did you even get hold of a video camera?”
    “I borrowed Mom’s. Dad had just given it to her for Christmas, remember, and I was using it for a school project at the time. I’m embarrassed, and I have been for years, but…there’s more to what happened than my stupid mistake. That’s the part you need to hear if you want to find Mom.”
    A chill ran up Claire’s spine. “Tell me.”
    “Mom was having an affair with Joe.”
    Claire curved her fingernails into her palms. “No.”
    “Yes!”
    “What makes you so sure?”
    “That’s why she freaked out. She considered him her man, her guilty pleasure, and was afraid he’d been messing around with both of us. So the confrontation at his place involved as much accusation as anything else. That’s why he showed her the tape. So he could blame it all on me.”
    Claire grappled to understand how such a situation might have played out. “She thought he acted on your…overtures?”
    “Worse. He exposed himself to me first.”
    Remembering how charitable she’d been feeling toward Joe at the bar, Claire stepped back. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
    “No. We’d been flirting for weeks. A thirteen-year-old girl doesn’t do something that bold out of the blue, without some expectation that it’ll be welcomed.”
    That made sense, but… “Mom wouldn’t believe it?”
    “Of course not. Not after that tape.”
    Claire shook her head. “I can’t believe what you’re saying, either.”
    Leanne’s jaw dropped. “What part of it?”
    “All of it. That he came on to you. That you and he had a relationship. That Mom was jealous instead of hurt and sickened by what you’d done.”
    “You don’t trust me? Just because I didn’t want to tell you I masturbated on video for a man I thought I loved?”
    Squeezing her eyes shut, Claire pressed cold hands to her hot face. “I’m saying you’ve been keeping secrets about that day for a long time. How do I know even this is the full truth?”
    “Because I don’t have anything to hide anymore! I’ve told you the worst of it!”
    But she wasn’t as embarrassed as she should’ve been. She was